Keystone RV Co. president Bob Martin (left) presents the keys to the new Passport trailer to the Cain family. Says Sara Cain (center) "This has made our dreams come true. I still can't believe it!"

As young newlyweds, Andrew and Sara Cain tent camped spring, summer and fall. “It was something we really enjoyed,” said Andrew. “But when our first child, Ayla, came along, we quickly realized that babies and tent camping aren’t a good experience. We knew we needed to get an RV.”

However, the recent economic downturn put a speed bump in the Indianapolis, Ind., family’s plans. An unemployed industrial electrician, Andrew has been working over the past year in lawn maintenance to make ends meet for his wife and two young daughters. So when they were notified of their good fortune in winning a Keystone Passport travel travel as part of a national “Live Your Dreams Sweepstakes” co-promoted by Keystone and publisher Affinity Group Inc., the family was ecstatic.

“Even after Andrew talked to the people at Keystone, I had to call the company myself just to hear it with my own ears,” laughed Sara Cain. “Things like this don’t happen to us. I couldn’t believe it was real.”

“We took the girls into our local Keystone Passport dealership to see the kind of trailer we had won,” said Andrew. “The girls explored the trailer and checked out their beds. I think they were ready to camp out right on the showroom floor.”

Keystone RV Co. President Bob Martin, on hand to deliver the new unit to the Cain family, was openly touched with the whole experience.

“Helping a family’s dreams come true is what the Keystone ‘Live Your Dreams’ contest is all about,” said Martin, whose company, a division of Thor Industries Inc., is headquartered in Goshen, Ind. “There are certainly strong business reasons for sponsoring the sweepstakes. However, seeing the Cains take delivery of their new Passport is tremendously gratifying for Keystone and our dealers. First hand, we witness the enjoyment our RVs bring to a family. And with two more Keystone RVs to be given away in the ‘Live Your Dreams Sweepstakes,’ two more families will have the opportunity to fulfill their dreams.”

The Keystone Live Your Dreams RV Sweepstakes promotion, which reaches more than five million current and prospective RV owners monthly through the web sites, publications and retail show promotions of Ventura, Calif.-based Affinity, concludes in March with the giveaway of a Keystone Montana Mountaineer. RV enthusiasts can enter to win at KeystoneRVGiveAway www.keystonervgiveaway.com.

However, her luck changed for the better in a big way recently when she was named the winner of a new Hornet travel trailer in Keystone RV Co.’s Live Your Dreams national sweepstakes promotion.

“When I entered the Keystone sweepstakes online, I never expected to win. I’ve never won anything before,” said Gillenwater, when notified of her good fortune. “This is hard to believe. I’m thankful. This really makes my day. You can’t imagine!”

Sue and her husband Wayne are retired Air Force vets who now plan to “live their dream.”

She added, “We camped with our children when they were young, graduating from tents to pop-up campers. But as the children grew and job responsibilities tied us down, we no longer had the opportunity to take off and travel. We really missed RVing and were looking forward to enjoying it again, someday; winning this new Keystone Hornet means that someday is now. “

Keystone RV Co. President Bob Martin credits the Live Your Dreams promotion for driving increased traffic to the Keystone web site and generating additional leads for Keystone dealers. According to Martin, “Our dealers are taking advantage of strong consumer interest in Keystone products to reach out to more prospective customers and close more sales.” Martin added, “Our web site traffic is reaching new highs while we see a strong upturn in retail sales.

Launched on March 11, the new Keystone Live Your Dreams RV sweepstakes will target more than 5 million current and prospective RV owners each month through RV websites, trade magazines and retail shows. The sweepstakes is being promoted in Trailer Life and Highways magazines, both Affinity Group Inc. publications, and on related websites.

In addition to the Hornet, three additional Keystone RVs will be given away in the coming months with the final prize, a Keystone Montana Mountaineer, awarded in March 2011. RV enthusiasts can enter to win at www.keystonervgiveaway.com.

Keystone RV Co. is the nation’s largest producer of travel trailers and fifth-wheels, with manufacturing facilities at its headquarters in Goshen, Ind., as well as Pendleton, Ore. Keystone is a subsidiary of Thor Industries Inc., Jackson Center, Ohio, the world’s largest manufacturer of recreation vehicles and a major builder of commercial buses.

A South Georgia couple, Mackie and Gail Daniels, shown at left, have won a new $26,000 Keystone Springdale travel trailer in the first phase of a unique new retail promotion — Keystone’s Live Your Dreams Sweepstakes — through which Keystone RV Co. Inc. is giving away four towable RVs between June 2009 and February 2010.

As part of this aggressive new program, a joint effort between the Goshen, Ind.-based Thor division and the RV-related websites, e-newsletters, magazines and retail shows of Ventura, Calif.-based Affinity Group Inc., the Danielses’ name was chosen at random in April from more than 50,000 entries in the inaugural round of the Live Your Dreams sweepstakes.

Suffice to say that the Danielses, of Fitzgerald, Ga., appreciated their good fortune.

“When my wife received the phone call from Keystone informing us that we had won, we were skeptical,” said Mackie Daniels, a retired telecommunications worker. “‘Must be a practical joke,’ I thought. ‘What are the odds?’ But when I returned the call to Keystone and spoke with the people there, I realized this is real. What a surprise! This is the first time I have ever won anything and this is really big!”

The Danielses, who ironically own a 2002 Springdale travel trailer, are avid campers who are planning future camping trips with their grandchildren. “We camp almost every other week,” adds Daniels. “This new model has more space and conveniences than our 2002 and we are sure going to enjoy the additional features.”

Signups are currently under way on Keystone’s website and at point-of-entry displays at Affinity Events shows for Phase #2 of the national giveaway through which the winner of an Outback travel trailer will be announced Aug. 15 at Affinity’s Colorado RV Super Sale. Next up is a Cougar fifth-wheel in October at Affinity’s Atlantic City RV Show. Then comes the finale, a Montana fifth-wheel, the winning name of which will be released in February at Affinity’s St. Paul RV, Vacation and Camping Show.

“Literally tens of thousands of interested consumers have visited the Keystone web site due to the exposure this sweepstakes has generated,” says Ron Fenech, president and CEO of Keystone, the nation’s largest manufacturer of travel trailers and fifth-wheels, with manufacturing facilities in Goshen and Pendleton, Ore. “These visitors learn more about Keystone travel trailers and fifth-wheels and, many times, contact our dealers for further follow up. The Live Your Dreams promotion is a win for the consumer, a win for our dealers and a win for Keystone RV and our employees.”